The Multi-Scale Layering-Structure of Thermal Microscale Profiles

Thermal microstructure profiling is an established technique for investigating turbulent mixing and stratification in lakes oceans. However, it provides only quasi-instantaneous, 1-D snapshots. Other approaches to measuring these phenomena exist, but each has logistic and/or quality weaknesses. Hence, processes remain greatly under-sampled. This paper contributes addressing this problem by presenting a novel analysis of thermal profiles, focusing on their multi-scale structure. Profiles taken two small using Self-Contained Automated Micro-Profiler (SCAMP) were analysed. For profile, buoyancy frequency (N), Thorpe scales (LT), the coefficient vertical diffusivity (KZ) determined. To characterize stratification, profiles d2T/dz2 at spectrum calculated number turning points them counted. Plotting counts against scale gave pseudo-spectra, which characterized index D power law regression lines. Scale-dependent correlations with N, LT KZ found, suggest that approach may be useful providing alternative estimates efficiency measures longer-term averages than current methods provide. Testing potential uses will require comparison field measurements time-integrated values numerical simulations.